Requires the county health commissioner to notify certain individuals in the event of an emergency creating an imminent risk to public health and safety.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2885
SPONSOR: Abinanti TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to notifying local
officials of the occurrence of certain emergency situations
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA:
To require county health commissioners to notify appropriate local offi-
cials in the event of a health emergency. This bill is designed to
facilitate timely notice to county and local officials so they can put
in place the appropriate emergency response as soon as possible.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this law would amend Section 352 of the public health law
by adding a new subdivision 7, to require that upon the occurrence of an
emergency where an imminent imperilment to the public health and safety
exists, the county health commissioner shall immediately notify, in
addition to those individuals he or she would have otherwise notified,
the chief executive officer of each municipality affected by the emer-
gency; each member of the county's legislative body who represents the
area affected by the emergency; and where the emergency affects another
county, the county health commissioner of the affected county or coun-
ties.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATON:
There are gaps in the notification procedures. When there is an imminent
threat to public health all appropriate officials need to be alerted so
they can put in place the appropriate emergency response as soon as
possible. The sooner the public is aware of the problem, the sooner they
can take steps to protect themselves.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2017-18: A463 referred to health; 2015-2016 A.187 referred to health;
2013-2014: A.535-A Passed Assembly; same as 5275 (Marchione); 2012:
A.7121-A passed Assembly; same as S.7358-A (McDonald) referred to
health;
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2885
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to notifying local
officials of the occurrence of certain emergency situations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 352 of the public health law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
3 7. Upon the occurrence of an emergency where an imminent imperilment
4 to the public health and safety exists, in addition to those individuals
5 he or she would have otherwise notified, the county health commissioner
6 shall immediately notify the following individuals of the existence of
7 such emergency:
8 (a) the chief executive officer of each municipality affected by the
9 emergency;
10 (b) each member of the legislative body of the county in which the
11 emergency exists who represents the area affected by the emergency; and
12 (c) where the emergency affects another county, the county health
13 commissioner of the affected county or counties.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04363-01-9
